Shrub rose plant named &#39;Meigadraz&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of landscape shrub rose plant is provided which forms in abundance on a substantially continuous basis attractive red-purple blossoms commonly bearing approximately 13 to 15 petals. The new variety is a spontaneous mutation of unknown causation of the ‘Radrazz’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,836) that forms vivid red blossoms which commonly display approximately 10 petals. The vegetation is vigorous and the growth habit is bushy and rounded. The foliage is very ornamental, dark green, and semi-glossy and contrasts nicely with the red-purple blossom coloration. Excellent resistance to blackspot is displayed. The new plant is particularly well suited for pot forcing under greenhouse growing conditions to form an attractive gift plant.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Rosa hybrida/Shrub Rose Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. ‘Meigadraz’

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida landscape shrub rose plant of the present invention was discovered during June 2000 while growing among a block of rose plants of the ‘Radrazz’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,836) growing in a nursery setting at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France. I was attracted to the new variety primarily because of its distinctive red-purple blossom coloration that was unlike that of the parental variety. The new variety is believed to be a spontaneous naturally-occurring mutation of the ‘Radrazz’ variety of unknown causation. Had I not discovered and preserved the original plant of the new variety it would have been lost to mankind.

It was found that the new variety of landscape shrub rose plant of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive         red-purple blossoms commonly bearing approximately 13 to 15         petals on average unlike the vivid red blossoms of the ‘Radrazz’         variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,836),     -   b) exhibits a bushy and rounded growth habit,     -   (c) forms vigorous vegetation,     -   (d) forms attractive very ornamental dark green semi-glossy         foliage, and     -   (e) displays excellent resistance to blackspot.

The new rose variety has a propensity for everblooming combined with blackspot resistance.

The new variety of the present invention can be readily distinguished from the parental ‘Radrazz’ variety through an inspection of the blossoms. More specifically, the new variety displays red-purple blossoms having approximately 13 to 15 petals on average rather than vivid red blossoms having approximately 10 petals on average that are displayed by the parental ‘Radrazz’ variety. Also, the new variety of the present invention readily also can be distinguished from the ‘Radyod’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,700) and the ‘Radcon’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,070) which are other mutations of the ‘Radrazz’ variety. More specifically, the blossoms of the ‘Radyod’ variety are light pink, and the blossoms of the ‘Radcon’ variety a darker pink than those of the ‘Radyod’ variety. The blossoms of the new variety of the present invention are more red-purple, and commonly possess more petals than the blossoms of the ‘Radyod’ variety.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry, and is particularly well suited for pot forcing under greenhouse growing conditions to form an attractive gift plant. The red-purple blossoms contrast nicely with the semi-glossy dark green foliage.

The characteristics of the new variety have been found at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France, to be homogeneous and stable and are strictly transmissible by asexual propagation such as budding, grafting, and the use of cuttings from one generation to another carried out at such location.

The new variety has been named the ‘Meigadraz’ variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph of FIG. 1 shows, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character, a typical specimen showing the attractive red-purple flowers of the new variety at various stage of maturity. The rose plants were approximately two years of age and were grown in the ground outdoors on Rosa froebelii rootstock at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based on approximately two year-old specimens of the new variety during October while grown outdoors on Rosa froebelii rootstock at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France.

-   Class: Landscape Shrub Rose. -   Plant:     -   -   Height.—approximately 50 to 60 cm on average at the end of             the growing season.         -   Width.—approximately 50 to 60 cm on average at the end of             the growing season.         -   Habit.—bushy and rounded. -   Branches:     -   -   Color.—young stems: near Yellow-Green Group 144B suffused             with Red Group 53D. — adult wood: near Yellow-Green Group             146C.         -   Thorns.—quantity: commonly approximately 6 on average on 15             cm of young stems, and approximately 5 on average on 15 cm             of adult stems. — size: approximately 1 to 1.5 cm in length             on average on young stems and on adult stems. —             configuration: longish pointed, possess an oval base, curved             downwards on the upper surface, and concave on the under             surface. — color: on young stems near Yellow-Green Group             146C and widely suffused with Greyed-Purple Group 184A, and             on adult stems near Greyed-Orange Group 166B and 166C. -   Leaves:     -   -   Leaflets.—number: 3, 5, and 7 (most often). — shape: possess             an obtuse base, and an acuminate tip. — size: the terminal             leaflet is approximately 5 cm in length on average and             approximately 2.6 cm in width on average. — margin: single             and fine serration. — texture: smooth. — overall appearance:             very dense, dark green in coloration, and with a semi-glossy             aspect on the upper surface. — color (new foliage): upper             surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147A suffused with Red             Group 47A. under surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147B. —             color (adult foliage): upper surface: near Yellow-Green             Group 147A. under surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147B. —             petioles: typically approximately 1.2 cm in length on             average on the terminal leaflet, on the upper surface near             Yellow-Green Group 144A with some highlights of             Greyed-Purple Group 184A and non-glandular, and on the under             surface near Yellow-Green Group 144A and with a very few             prickles. — stipules: typically approximately 1 to 1.2 cm in             length on average, typically approximately 0.4 cm in width             on average, adnate, pectinate, rather broad, and near Green             Group 137C on the upper surface, and near Green Group 137D             on the under surface. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Number flowers.—commonly approximately 6 to 15 blooms on             average per stem.         -   Peduncle.—length: typically approximately 2.5 cm on average.             — diameter: typically approximately 0.2 cm on average. —             texture: typically covered with small prickles. — color:             near Yellow-Green Group 144A.         -   Sepals.—length: typically approximately 2 to 2.8 cm on             average. width: typically approximately 0.6 cm at the widest             point on average. configuration: slender and pointed with a             few foliaceous appendages. number: five. texture: the upper             surface commonly is tomentose, and the under surface             commonly is glandular. color (upper surface): near Green             Group 138C. color (under surface): near Green Group 137B and             137C.         -   Buds.—length: commonly approximately 1 to 1.5 cm on average.             — width: commonly approximately 1 cm on average. — size:             medium. — shape: elongated. — color (upper surface): near             Red-Purple Group 57A and 57B. — color (under surface): near             Red-Purple Group 68B and lightly suffused with Red-Purple             Group 68A. — color (basal petal spot): near Yellow Group 3D.         -   Flower.—arrangement: imbricated petals. — diameter:             approximately 7 to 8 cm on average. — shape: flat             cup-shaped. — fragrance: none. — petal form: cuneiform with             a reflected apex. — petal number: approximately 13 to 15 on             average under normal growing conditions. — petal length:             commonly approximately 3 cm on average. — petal width:             commonly approximately 2.4 cm on average. — color during             course of opening: upper surface: near Red-Purple Group 57D,             widely suffused with Red-Purple Group 67C, and lightly             suffused with Red-Purple Group 57B. under surface: near             Red-Purple Group 68B and lightly suffused with Red-Purple             Group 68A. — basal petal spot: near Yellow Group 3D. — color             when open: upper surface: near Red-Purple Group 68C suffused             with Red-Purple Group 68B. under surface: near Red-Purple             Group 68D suffused with Red-Purple Group 68B. — basal petal             spot: near White Group 155D on the upper and under surfaces.             — petal texture: smooth. — anthers: commonly 121 in number             on average, approximately 0.1 cm in size on average, and             near Yellow Group 13D in coloration. — pollen: present and             near Yellow Group 13D in coloration. — filaments: typically             approximately 121 on average; regularly arranged around the             styles, commonly approximately 0.6 to 0.8 cm in length, and             near Red Group 42C in coloration. — stigmas: typically             approximately 0.1 cm in size, and near Yellow Group 13D in             coloration. — styles: typically approximately 32 on average;             typically approximately 0.2 cm in length on average, and             near Red Group 42C in coloration. — receptacle:             funnel-shaped, slightly glandular on the surface, when the             flowers are fully open commonly approximately 1 cm in length             on average and approximately 0.8 cm in width on average, and             near Green Group 137C in coloration. — lasting quality:             commonly approximately two weeks on the plant. — petal drop:             very good with the petals commonly dropping cleanly before             drying. — hips: formed in a sparse quantity. -   Development:     -   -   Vegetation.—vigorous and strong.         -   Blossoming.—abundant and substantially continuous.         -   Resistance to diseases.—excellent with respect to blackspot.         -   Propensity to form hips.—sparsely formed. 

1. A new and distinct landscape shrub rose plant which exhibits the following combination of characteristics: (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive red-purple blossoms commonly bearing approximately 13 to 15 petals on average unlike the vivid red blossoms of the ‘Radrazz’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,836), (b) exhibits a bushy and rounded growth habit, (c) forms vigorous vegetation, (d) forms attractive very ornamental dark green semi-glossy foliage, and (d) displays excellent resistance to blackspot; substantially as illustrated and described. 